Creating a Healthier World, One Person At A Time

The Five Tibetan Rites is a
yoga routine based on a ritual of exercises discovered in
the early 1900's, by a British army colonel, Colonel
Bradford, who was living in a Himalayan monastery. They are
practiced around the world and are said to prevent aging.
In 1939, Peter Kelder published "The Original Five Tibetan
Rites of Rejuvenation," which helped spread the rites in
the western world.

The
rites are comprised of five different movements, with each
movement performed up to 21 times. It is best to start with
3 repetitions of each exercise and gradually increase the
repetitions. The entire routine can be completed in less
than 10 minutes.

For thousands of years, medical practitioners have
maintained that the body has seven principal energy centers
which correspond to the seven endocrine glands, also known
as chakras.Chakrasare essentially
energies within spinning vortexes. As a vortex is
increased, the life force becomes stronger and more
directed.

Recent medical research has uncovered convincing evidence
that the aging process is hormone-regulated. The five
ancient Tibetan rites are said to normalize hormonal
imbalances in the body, thereby holding the key to lasting
youth, health, and vitality. The rites stimulate the energy
system in the body, wake up thechakras,
and get energy moving from your core outward to your
extremities. The theory behind the rites is that your
Kundalini (spiritual energy) is stored and lies at the base
of your spine and that these rites access that energy in a
very efficient, fast, and user-friendly way.

An important part of the Tibetan exercises is a conscious
synchronization of breathing while performing physical
activity. Before beginning the exercises, practice the
basic4 -
stage breathing technique.

Inhale.

Hold filled
lungs.

Exhale.

Hold empty
lungs.

No exercise
should be so intense that it makes you feel exhausted. For
example, if you are "losing your breath", it indicates that
your body is in ananaerobic(low oxygen)
condition and that you should slow down. If you can not
talk normally after performing an exercise, you should slow
down. When performing the exercises, the main emphasis
should be on breath synchronization and fluency, rather
than on speed and number of repetitions.

Some call these ritesisometricexercises. Although
they are helpful in stretching muscles and joints and
improving muscle tone, this is not their primary purpose. A
slow vortex causes that part of the body to deteriorate,
while a faster one causes nervousness, anxiety, and
exhaustion. Abnormal vortexes produces abnormal health,
deterioration, and old age. The rites normalize the speed
of the spinning vortexes by keeping them spinning at the
same rate and working in harmony.

Here are the Five Tibetan Rites and how they work on the
body (remember to breathe deeply using the diaphragm during
the movements).

Rite 1

The first rite is the practice
of spinning, which effects the emotional body by speeding
up the vortexes. Children naturally spin while playing. As
one spins clockwise, Lamas say that negative residues are
flung out of the body and the bridge is strengthened
between the left and right hemispheres. Spinning stimulates
the body's energy system and wakes up thechakras.

Spinning:
Extend your arms out to the sides and spin (in a clockwise
direction). Go as fast as you can without losing control
(slow down or stop if you get dizzy). Try to do 21
revolutions.
Follow your right arm so that you spin around to your
right. As you begin to spin, focus your vision on a single
point straight ahead and continue holding your vision on
that point as long as possible. Eventually you have to let
it leave your field of vision as your head spins with the
body. As this occurs, turn your head around quickly and
refocus on your reference point as soon as possible. Using
a reference point helps prevent dizziness. Stop spinning as
soon as you feel slightly dizzy. Lie on the floor and
breathe deeply before you begin the next rite. Raise your
hands above your head to stretch the back.

Rite 2

Rite two is similar to Western
abdominal exercises. By raising the head to the chest, you
create an extra stimulus to the solar plexuschakraand the "Conception
Vessel" moving through the center of the trunk.
Use a thick rug or yoga mat to protect your back as you lie
on the floor.

Leg
Raises:
First lie flat on the floor, face up. Fully extended your
arms along your sides, and place the palms of your hands
against the floor, keeping the fingers close together.
Then, raise your head off the floor, tucking the chin
against the chest. As you do this, lift your legs, knees
straight, into a vertical position. If possible, let the
legs extend back over the body, toward the head; but do not
let the knees bend. Then slowly lower both the head and the
legs, knees straight, to the floor. Allow all the muscles
to relax, continue breathing in the same rhythm. Breathe in
deeply as you lift your legs and breathe out as you lower
your legs.
Upon sitting up, stretch your legs out in front of you.
Starting at the thigh area, stroke down the outside of your
legs with your hands until you reach your feet. Grab your
feet on the outside, pulling your head as close to your
straight knees as possible.

Rite 3

Rite three opens the solar
plexus and heart. We begin life by drawing energy in
through the umbilical area. Lamas believe we continue the
habit of sucking into the solar plexus, which is the seat
of the emotional body, without being aware of what we are
taking in. All kinds of emotional energies enter in this
way. Psychically, we attract negative emotions that relate
to those we ourselves are carrying. Thus, fear or anger
inside us acts as a magnet to people who are carrying the
same kind of energies.

Contraction interferes with the functioning of the solar
plexus ganglion that relays messages to the brain relevant
to our sense of safety and stimulates the "fight or flight"
reflex. This rite provides an extension and a powerful
lifting of the entire trunk, which is the opposite of a
defensive, contractive stance. By performing this motion,
you are reversing the energy flow and raising the energy to
the heart area.

Camel:
This is a classic back bend. Kneel on the floor, knees
under your hips, toes flat, with the body erect. Place
hands on back of legs just under the buttocks. Tilt the
head and neck forward, tucking the chin against the chest.
Then, tilt the head and neck backward, arching the spine
backward, and look upward. After arching, return to the
original position, and repeat up to 21 times.
Inhale deeply as you arch the spine, exhale as you return
to an erect position. This rite opens up the front of the
body and spine. Establish a rhythmic breathing pattern.
Breathe in deeply as you arch the spine. Breathe out as you
return to an erect position.
When you are finished with this series of motions, extend
your arms at shoulder level straight out in front of you
and lean back without arching your back. You will feel this
stretching the fascia latae at the outer thighs.

Rite 4

This rite causes a pleasant
stimulation throughout the sacral area which stirs the
meridians and the energies going to and from the groin and
down the legs. This rite strengthens and tones the legs and
glutes.

Tabletop:
Sit on floor with your legs extended, body erect, feet
flexed and about 12 inches apart, palms flat on floor next
to your hips, fingers pointed toward your feet. Tuck the
chin forward against the chest. Now, tilt the head backward
as far as it will go. At the same time, bend your knees and
push up to a "tabletop" position, arms straight. Let your
head fall back gently. The trunk of the body will be in a
straight line with the upper legs, horizontal to the floor.
Then, tense every muscle in the body. Finally, relax your
muscles as you return to the original sitting position.
Rest before repeating the procedure.
Breathe in as you raise up, hold your breath as you tense
the muscles, breathe out completely as you come down.
Continue breathing in the same rhythm as long as you rest
between repetitions.

Rite 5

Rite five brings an immediate
change in the energy currents of the body. It makes one
feel strong and invigorated and brings a happy glow to the
face. This is the most powerful rite in terms of speeding
up the chakric vortexes.

Up Dog &
Down Dog:
Begin on all fours, toes flexed, palms on floor, weight
distributed evenly among your knees, your palms, and the
balls of your feet. Throughout this rite, your hands and
feet should be kept straight. Start with your arms
perpendicular to the floor, and the spine arched downward,
so that the body is in a sagging position. Slowly lift your
buttocks toward the sky, with a flat back, lowering your
head, so your body makes an inverted "V."
Tuck your chin to your chest. Pause, then lower your
buttocks while pressing your palms into the floor, until
your legs are in a plank position (parallel to the ground),
moving your chest out and shoulders back. Inhale on your
way up; exhale on your way down. Repeat, up to 21 times. In
the rite, your body is moving in concert, moving energy up
the spine.
Follow the deep breathing pattern used in the previous
rites. Breathe in deeply as you raise the body, breathe out
fully as you lower it.